Please tell me why
My car is in the front yard
And I’m sleeping with my clothes on
I came in through the window last night
And you’re long gone, gone
It’s no surprise to me, I am my own worst enemy
‘Cause every now and then, I kick the living shit out of me
The smoke alarm is going off, and there’s a cigarette
Still burning
– My Own Worst Enemy, Lit

---

Wednesday, February 3, 2000

Corinthos Penthouse: Living Room

Sonny looked from Jason to Elizabeth, then back again as he absorbed what Jason had just told him.

“I don’t know if you’re the only other person it could be,” Jason continued, “but AJ made it clear to me yesterday that it isn’t his baby.”

Sonny turned away, scrubbing his hands down his face. “How long?” he asked quietly. “How long have you known she was pregnant?”

“Sonny—” Elizabeth began but Jason shook his head, released her hand, and stepped forward.

“Since the day of wedding reception. I didn’t say anything at first because Carly said there was a chance it was AJ’s baby—”

“And you believed her?” Sonny bit out, whirling back. “She does nothing but lie—”

“I know. I told her I wanted a paternity test—”

“Like they can’t be faked—” Sonny’s gaze burned into his. “Was this your idea of revenge? I put your family at risk, you keep mine from me?”

“No, that’s not—”

“Sonny—” Elizabeth tried again, but he wasn’t in any mood to be comforted or talked down.

“You had no right to—” Sonny shook his head. “To hell with this,” he bit out. He stalked past them, slamming the door behind him.

“He was never going to take this well,” Elizabeth murmured, putting a hand on Jason’s shoulder.

“He would have if I had told him when I found out,” Jason replied, irritated with himself. And he’d thought of keeping quiet even longer? Was Sonny right? Had there been some thought in the back of his mind that Sonny deserved to be in the dark?

“Should we go after him?” Elizabeth broke into his thoughts, and he frowned, looking down at her. “He’s going to the mansion to confront Carly, but she’s not alone. AJ might be there. Lila definitely is, and maybe Michael—”

“Sonny might be angry, but—” Jason paused. He wasn’t worried about Lila or Michael, he realized. He trusted Sonny enough to moderate himself around his grandmother and a toddler.

But if AJ was there—or Edward or Alan—if any of the Quartermaine men were—Sonny would be arrested before he got two steps into the mansion and that would be a headache none of them could afford.

“You’re right. Let’s go.”

Quartermaine Estate: Family Room

Carly returned to the house, the nausea in her stomach gone but somehow the sick feeling remained. It was just nerves, she thought. Guilt. And worry. Jason was keeping her secret for now, but eventually he’d want results. And Carly still hadn’t found Lorraine or anyone else to help her with the paternity test.

She was running out of time.

She should have gotten out of town when she’d had the chance. Jason had been ready to make her and Michael disappear, but no, Carly had to reach a bit higher. Had to go for the gold.

She’d never settled in her life, and until these last few weeks, she’d never had to. She’d set out to destroy her mother’s marriage, and she’d done it. She’d schemed to make sure no one took Michael for her, and until now, she’d managed that. She’d made sure she was a wedge between Jason and Robin—

It should been easier to get the little bitch away from Jason. Robin had almost been pathetically easy to get rid of once Michael was in the picture. Carly had nearly tipped Jason into having an actual affair with her, and if not for that Webber bitch—

She squeezed her eyes shut. If Jason had just left with her, had taken Michael and run, they’d be somewhere and a family. Jason would believe this child was his. It should be his. It wasn’t fair—

There was a thud and some distant voices somewhere in the house. Carly frowned. Who was even here to argue with? AJ had taken the day off to spend with Michael, but nearly everyone else was gone—

Carly went towards the entrance connecting the family room to the foyer—stopping when the voices became more clear.

When she recognized them.

“Where the hell is that whore?” Sonny demanded. Carly couldn’t hear AJ’s response, but she didn’t need to.

It was over. Sonny knew. And he was going to tell AJ—if he hadn’t already—

Damn it.

Carly closed the door again and headed back to the terrace. She’d leave through the gardens, get into the garage, take one of the cars—

It was time for Plan C.

Quartermaine Estate: Driveway

Jason slowed the bike as they approached the main entrance of the mansion, but even before he’d switched off the ignition, he could predict the disaster laying ahead. One of Sonny’s cars was parked haphazardly near the garage, the driver’s door hanging open. The front door to the mansion was wide open —

And he could hear the shouting from where they stood in the drive.

None of this had anything to do with him, Jason realized as he stood next to the bike. Sonny might be his friend, but it wasn’t really Jason’s job to run after him. And Carly and this baby were nothing to him.

But his grandmother was inside, and she didn’t deserve any of this.

“Let’s go.” He took Elizabeth’s hand and headed in.

Sonny hadn’t made it further than the foyer—AJ and Ned were blocking his progress, and Alan was standing behind them, fuming.

“I want to see her now!” Sonny bit out. “Either get out of my way or—”

“I’ll be damned if I let you anywhere in this house,” Alan cut in. Sonny lurched forward again, and AJ shoved him back, the younger man’s eyes slightly wild, his hair disheveled. “I’ll have you arrested—”

“Sonny—” Jason reached for his partner but Sonny shoved him back.

“Not without talking to that—”

Ned grimaced as Sonny came forward, and this time Sonny threw a punch, landing a solid blow to AJ’s jaw as Ned ducked out of the way.

“Damn it—” AJ swore, then leapt at Sonny. The two of them began a fist fight, rolling around on the ground, trading punches, jabs, and kicks as Ned struggled to separate them.

“That’s it!” Alan strode to the phone and snatched it off the receiver. “I’m calling the police—”

“I’ll find Carly,” Elizabeth told Jason reluctantly as she slipped around the fracas and Jason moved in to break up the fight.

Elizabeth checked in the front parlor, then in the family room where she found a worried Lila with an irritated Reginald, her ever present manservant.

“Oh, darling—” Lila held out her hands, and Elizabeth squeezed them. “If you’re here, I hope that means Jason is. He’ll know how to sort everything out. He always does.”

“I know,” Elizabeth said with a rueful sigh. “He’s dealing with AJ and Sonny. I thought I’d try to find Carly before Sonny can—” Not that she cared much, but like Jason, she wanted to contain the situation somehow.

“Don’t bother,” Reginald said tightly. “She’s gone.”

“Gone?” Elizabeth echoed. “How—she’s not upstairs either?”

“As soon as Mr. Corinthos barged in, I came to find her,” Lila said, her voice shaking. “She was in the gardens, heading for the garage.”

“I tried to follow, but by the time I got there,” Reginald said, “her car was gone.”

That wasn’t good. Elizabeth went back to the foyer, relieved to find that Jason and Ned had separated AJ and Sonny, though both men were still tossing insults. She met Jason’s eyes and lightly shook her head, hoping he’d understand.

“I don’t care what crime you think was committed against you,” Alan told Sonny, his eyes burning. “You have no right to come into this house and attack my family. If you were dumb enough to sleep with another man’s wife, then you deserve every piece of misery coming your way—”

“She had no right to lie—”

“She had every right,” Alan sneered. “Isn’t that how Jason justified stealing Michael for over a year? The right of a mother? I may not want Carly anywhere near my family, but don’t pretend you didn’t lie for Jason, either.”

Jason flinched, then closed his eyes, his grip loosening sightly at this reminder that it had all started with him.

Elizabeth scowled at Jason’s father, but kept her mouth shut as she crossed the room to stand by Jason. She’d been in Port Charles long enough to know Alan had no business casting stones at anyone else. After all, Jason was the result of an extramarital affair, and she knew even AJ’s paternity had been in doubt as an infant.

Officers from the PCPD arrived then, and hauled Sonny out in cuffs. Elizabeth waited until he was clear before leaning up to whisper in Jason’s ear. “Carly took off as soon as she heard Sonny in the hall. Lila saw her go, and Reginald confirmed her car is gone.”

Jason winced. Now Carly had time to plan the next step, and he really didn’t want to think about what she might have planned. She had to know he’d told Sonny. He had to find her before she had time to plot her revenge.

PCPD: Squad Room

Bobbie came through the double doors, wincing as she saw the cluster of men around Taggert’s desk. Lila had nearly been in tears when she’d called, hoping that Carly was with her. She could barely get the words out, so Reginald had taken the phone and continued the story. Bobbie had listened painfully as her daughter’s latest schemes were revealed.

Jason wasn’t the father of Carly’s child. Sonny Corinthos was. And now everyone knew.

She’d rushed down to the police department, not entirely sure what she could do to resolve the issue but needing to do something. Bobbie felt responsible for the mayhem Carly had wrought.

“Bobbie—” AJ spotted her, his hair disheveled, a bruise forming beneath his eye. “What are you doing here?”

“I came—” She swallowed. “I came to see what I could do. There must be something.”

“Unless you know where Carly is—” AJ shook his head. “But you don’t. I know you wouldn’t. I’m sorry, Bobbie. For everything. I thought she and I—I thought we had an understanding. I know you think I’m terrible—”

“I think Carly has that effect on people.” Bobbie squeezed his hand. “What happened? Sonny came in? Started a fight.”

“I tried to—” AJ exhaled slowly. “I tried to do it right. I knew the baby wasn’t mine. So I thought if I just explained to Jason that we could make this work and no one had to get hurt, he’d understand. I tried to ask for permission.” His mouth tightened. “And I guess Jason—”

“He must have thought there was a chance it was your baby,” Bobbie said, wincing when she thought of the pressure she’d put on Jason and Elizabeth to handle the situation. “And you made it clear there wasn’t.”

“Yeah, so he decided to blow it all up.” AJ looked over to his father, still arguing with Sonny over charges of trespass. “I deserve this,” he murmured.

“No one deserves this, AJ—”

“Really?” AJ shook his head. “Go home, Bobbie. You’ve stood by Carly long enough. There’s nothing left to do.”

Planned Parenthood: Parking Lot

Carly switched off the ignition, and sat in her car for a long moment, staring at the gray building in front of her, the cluster of protesters that had nothing better to do than harass women.

She’d known all along that this was an option, but it had remained at the bottom of the list. If she kept the baby, she’d spend the rest of her life in court, fighting for Michael, fighting for this baby. Neither AJ nor Sonny would go quietly. And Jason wasn’t there to help. Bobbie wouldn’t either.

She’d burned all the bridges.

It was time to do what she should have done from the beginning and make at least one of her problems go away.

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